The first major tech retailer to see its Black Friday ad leaked will have doorbusters that include a $149.99 8-inch tablet, a $189.99 laptop, and a $199.99 desktop all powered by the latest version of Windows.

If you need a Windows 8.1 computer that's flexible enough to be a tablet, a laptop (if you add the optional keyboard) and even (if you add the optional docking station) a desktop PC, then the Surface Pro 3 manages the trade-offs as well as anything on the market.

You can install any modern Windows or Linux version, desktop or server, using Hyper-V in Windows 8.1. But you'll need to bring your own license and software for the base OS. Here's how to get that OS cheap or even free.